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Once the dates for international fixtures, European club competitions and FA cup competitions have been considered, it is then down to Atos (an international IT services company) to solve the puzzle of sequencing.

The golden rules of sequencing
1. In any block of five fixtures, a team should play three matches at home and two away, or vice versa.

2. A team should never have more than two-consecutive home or away fixtures.

3. A club will never start or finish the season with two-consecutive home or away fixtures. It would be unfair for a team to finish with two away fixtures, especially if they are in need of points.

4. At Christmas, if a club is at home on Boxing Day, they will be away on New Year’s Day or vice versa.

5. Partner Clubs
The majority of teams have “partner clubs” which they cannot clash home fixtures with. Manchester United and Manchester City, and Liverpool and Everton are obvious examples, although in London it is more complex and less obvious.

6. In March, Premier League clubs are asked three questions:
a) Are there any dates they wish not to be at home? That is answered in conjunction with the local police.
b) They will also be asked which club they want to pair with and whether there are any teams they do not wish to play at home on Boxing Day.
c) If all of a club’s requests cannot be met, they are asked which is the highest priority?

Once the make-up of all the clubs in the Premier League has been decided, they are placed in a pairing grid to determine which dates they will be at home and when they will be away. However, if one match has to be moved, that can result in as many as 40 other fixtures needing to be altered.

Fans are considered as the computer is programmed to reduce long-distance trips on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, while they also try to avoid clubs from similar areas traveling on the same trainlines on the same day.

Reference: planetfootball.com/viral/golden-rules-behind-premier-league-fixtures-compiled/

BTW, too much love to every gooner nairalander!

#COYG

Love y'all

Interesting............

Cesc001:
Interesting............

Thanks man